It’s a curious thing, this wireless audio business. For years, pretty much every consumer and the large number of manufacturers have resigned themselves to using wireless audio systems or devices driven by either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It is strange how the desire to improve the wireless audio world has not really kept pace with technology breakthroughs in the visual world, such as designing and inventing televisions that can display programs in 4K or 8K high-definition even when the network providers lack the broadcast capabilities to do so.
So, let’s talk Bluetooth.
Bluetooth technology was originally developed as a “short-link” radio technology in 1989 by technicians working out of Ericsson Mobile in Lund, Sweden. Originally, it was the protocol for wireless communication over short distances. Certainly, Bluetooth has advanced and experienced various versions over the last twenty or so years, subject to upgrades which have enabled technicians to use it for data transfer via printers, laptops, cars, etc. It is this exact feature which underlies the very fact that Bluetooth was specifically developed to transport data and information – and NOT uncompressed, quality wireless audio. “As a technology standard, similar to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth’s isn’t tied to any product but is implemented by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, a committee charged with revising the standards as well as licensing the technology and trademarks to manufacturers.” www.Thoughtco.com. Because Bluetooth was never originally designed to transport quality wireless audio, its overall range depends on the class of the device, a reduction in obstacles (such as walls) between devices, and transmission power. Even with improvements to this twenty-year-old technological breakthrough, sound that is sent through Bluetooth technology simply is not lossless. In short, wireless audio sent via Bluetooth is not quality audio.
Which leads us to Wi-Fi and Sonos systems. In a vacuum, it is true that Wi-Fi technically may send audio data without sacrificing quality of recordings. Still, any system (audio or otherwise) that relies on Wi-Fi is hostage to its limitations. Wi-Fi requires an external network, and its overall use is limited by the availability of IP addresses. So, as a Sonos system piggybacks off of Wi-Fi networks, it is wrangling with your computer and your internet and all of the other devices that are using up Wi-Fi space. Moreover, a Sonos app is not a one-step set-up. You have to sync the speaker to link to the network or other speakers, and then find the connected speaker on the app, and then enter details such as a Wi-Fi password. If the network goes down, you’re out of luck. If you don’t happen to have the correct password to the external network, then you cannot use the system. If you’re anywhere that does not have reliable and consistent Wi-Fi, then you might as well use a wireless Bluetooth device. Not the optimal choice.
And now we have Audality, poised to disrupt the entire wireless audio market.
It’s new and bold and revolutionary. Audality’s patented WiC technology creates its own protected network. The wireless audio is 24-bit, uncompressed data. The range is 100 meters (think football field). The technology syncs with multiple receivers simultaneously. WiC technology requires comparatively very little power, so a battery-operated Audality speaker can run for at least ten hours continuously without a charge. No apps, no passwords, no IP addresses or external networks required. No lossless sound.
Think about the quality of Audality-transmitted music, sounding the way it was produced and meant to be heard. Think about the ease of use, the portability and range without the need to rely on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Think again about why you would ever settle for anything less.